v1
Yahweh spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, in the tent of assembly, on the first of the month, in the second year after they came out ^[Literally “of their coming out”] of the land of Egypt, saying,
v2
“Take a census of ^[Literally “Lift up the head of”] the entire community of the Israelites ^[Literally “sons/children of Israel”] according to their clans and their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] according to the number of names, every male individually
v3
from twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone in Israel who is able to go to war. You and Aaron must muster them ^[Or “count them,” or “summon them,” or “enroll them”] for their wars.
v4
A man from each tribe will be with you, each man the head of his family. ^[Literally “the house of his father”]
v5
And these are the names of the men who will assist you: ^[Literally “stand with you”] from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;
v6
from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
v7
from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;
v8
from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;
v9
from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon.
v10
From the descendants of Joseph: from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud; from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur.
v11
From Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;
v12
from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;
v13
from Asher, Pagiel son of Ocran;
v14
from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;
v15
and from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.”
v16
These are the ones summoned from the community, the leaders of their ancestors’ ^[Or “fathers’”] tribes; they are the heads of Israel’s clans.
v17
So Moses and Aaron took these men who had been designated by name,
v18
and they summoned the entire community on the first day of the second month. And they registered themselves among their clans according to their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] according to the number of names from those twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above individually,
v19
just as Yahweh commanded Moses. And he counted them in the desert of Sinai.
v20
The descendants of Reuben, the firstborn of Israel, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] according to the number of names, every male individually from twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone who is able to go to war:
v21
those who were counted from the tribe of Reuben were forty-six thousand five hundred.
v22
From the descendants of Simeon, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] those who were counted according to the number of their names, every individual male from twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone who is able to go to war:
v23
those who were counted from the tribe of Simeon were fifty-nine thousand three hundred.
v24
From the descendants of Gad, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone who is able to go to war:
v25
those who were counted from the tribe of Gad were forty-five thousand six hundred and fifty.
v26
From the descendants of Judah, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone who is able to go to war:
v27
those who were counted from the tribe of Judah were seventy-four thousand six hundred.
v28
From the descendants of Issachar, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone who is able to go to war:
v29
those who were counted from the tribe of Issachar were fifty-four thousand four hundred.
v30
From the descendants of Zebulun, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone who is able to go to war:
v31
those who were counted from the tribe of Zebulun were fifty-seven thousand four hundred.
v32
From the descendants of Joseph: from the descendants of Ephraim, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone who is able to go to war:
v33
those who were counted from the tribe of Ephraim were forty thousand five hundred.
v34
From the descendants of Manasseh, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone who is able to go to war:
v35
those who were counted from the tribe of Manasseh were thirty-two thousand two hundred.
v36
From the descendants of Benjamin, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone who is able to go to war:
v37
those who were counted from the tribe of Benjamin were thirty-five thousand four hundred.
v38
From the descendants of Dan, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone who is able to go to war:
v39
those who were counted from the tribe of Dan were sixty-two thousand seven hundred.
v40
From the descendants of Asher, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone who is able to go to war:
v41
those who were counted from the tribe of Asher were forty-one thousand five hundred.
v42
From the descendants of Naphtali, their genealogies according to their clans, according to their families, ^[Literally “their fathers”] according to the number of names, from those twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone who is able to go to war:
v43
those who were counted from the tribe of Naphtali were fifty-three thousand four hundred.
v44
These are the ones counted whom Moses and Aaron mustered, ^[Or “counted,” or “summoned,” or “enrolled”] with the twelve leaders of Israel, each one from his family. ^[Literally “the house of his fathers”]
v45
So all those who were counted from the Israelites ^[Literally “sons/children of Israel”] according to their families, ^[Literally “the house of their fathers”] from those twenty years old ^[Literally “a son of twenty years”] and above, everyone in Israel who is able to go to war.
v46
All of the ones counted were six hundred and three thousand, five hundred and fifty.
v47
The Levites from their ancestors’ ^[Or “fathers’”] tribe were not mustered ^[Or “counted,” or “summoned,” or “enrolled”] in their midst.
v48
And Yahweh spoke to Moses, saying,
v49
“You will not muster ^[Or “count,” or “summon,” or “enroll”] the tribe of Levi, and you will not take a census of ^[Literally “Lift up the head of”] them in the midst of the Israelites. ^[Literally “sons/children of Israel”]
v50
You will appoint ^[Or “count,” or “summon,” or “enroll”] them over the tabernacle of the testimony, ^[Other modern translations read “tabernacle of the covenant”] over all its vessels, and over all that belongs to it. They will carry the tabernacle and all its vessels, and they will care for it; and they will camp around the tabernacle.
v51
And when the tabernacle is set out, the Levites will take it down, ^[Literally “lower it”] and when encamping the tabernacle the Levites will set it up; the stranger ^[Or “outsider”] that approaches it will be put to death.
v52
The Israelites ^[Literally “sons/children of Israel”] will encamp, each in their own camp, and each by their ^[Hebrew “his” or “its”] own banner according to their divisions.
v53
But the Levites will encamp around the tabernacle of the testimony, ^[Other modern translations read “tabernacle of the covenant”] and there will not be wrath on the community of the Israelites; ^[Literally “sons/children of Israel”] and the Levites will keep the requirements of the tabernacle of the testimony.” ^[Other modern translations read “tabernacle of the covenant”]
v54
And the Israelites ^[Literally “sons/children of Israel”] did thus; they did everything that Yahweh commanded Moses.